Charley Hull went viral across social media last week when she was spotted smoking a cigarette while signing an autograph for a young fan.
The English star was then filmed and photographed smoking, or 'ripping a dart' as it was referred to online, throughout the week at the US Women's Open where she finished T19th and tied with Carlota Ciganda as low European at Lancaster Country Club.
Hull opened up about her habit on Sunday evening, revealing that she started smoking to quit vaping and pledged to stop soon as she hates it.
"Yeah, it's actually quite funny. I don't know, all over a cigarette, I suppose. But I genuinely was walking to the range, had my hands full, someone asked me for an autograph, I'm not going to say no because I always like signing autographs," she explained on the video that went viral across social media last week.
"Had a cigarette in my mouth, signed it, and then it's gone viral."
.@HullCharley making John Daly proud. 😂 pic.twitter.com/hmp7EaiKRrMay 28, 2024
The videos instantly triggered John Daly comparisons, but she insists that she lives a very healthy lifestyle aside from the occasional cigarette - which she will be stopping "soon."
"I find it quite funny, because I actually do go to the gym and I'm a very healthy person. I only smoke. I hardly drink. I don't need to drink because actually I can have a fun time without it.
"Yeah, listen, my dad smokes 40 a day since he was 12 years old and now he's 75, and my nephew smokes who is like 25. My whole family smokes, so it's not something that I've noticed being odd.
"I hate smoking. I used to curse at my dad when I was younger for smoking, but I think it's to do a little bit when I'm stressed. I was a bit stressed last year and I just kind of vaped, and I wanted to stop vaping, and even though smoking is not better than vaping, it's just you can vape indoors all the time.
"I thought if I smoke, I'm going to go outside and smoke a cigarette. When it's a slow round on the golf course I smoke quite a few more than I should.
"But listen, I will stop soon. It's just when."
Thanks to the viral cigarette videos and images, Hull says she gained 70,000 followers on Instagram, but she hasn't been on the platform in weeks. The Englishwoman, who revealed her ADHD diagnosis last year, says she gets addicted to the social media platform so has taken herself away from it for the time being.
"At the minute I'm not actually on my Instagram. I put it on my agent's phone. I gave it to her like four weeks ago. I said, listen, I'll text you some videos, I'll text you some photos. Just post for me.
"I've gotten a very addictive personality and I get addicted to Instagram not even posting, but just scrolling down and looking at random memes and stuff.
"So the last few weeks I've just been letting her post, but she did tell me I gained like 72 or 70,000 followers in the space of like two days. I was like, wow. That's pretty crazy."
Hull is one of most popular, and best, players in the game and she managed to leave the press center in stitches with her final comment on whether she gained more attention this week for smoking a cigarette than for her Solheim Cup heroics.
"I think I did, you know. I really think I did. It was pretty crazy. Just one cigarette, it lit up."
"It lit up!" @HullCharley's got a whole pack of jokes 😂 pic.twitter.com/PF5lIuPEFBJune 2, 2024
